Girl Power...Fighting The She-Hulk Myth

No subversion ... I split this thread into another entitled Estrogen Blockers
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33755

Just want to keep this thread to one subject, thank you

 

damn, looking @ all these strong girls, makes me look so weak

 

Good quote I came across today via Usenet

"The myth that women should not lift heavy is advanced only by women who fear effort and men who fear women."
-- Eric Midkiff

 

Hence the preponderance of Curves "fitness" studios every 3 blocks. Sweet Mother of Pearl, I swear there's a section of my neighborhood where there are 2, literally, across the street from one another...one of them is 15 feet from a 7-11, the other is in the same strip mall as a pizzeria and a chinese food place. :bang:

 

Well to be honest I wasn't really that attracted to the people you posted... just not a fan of the rippling muscles on women, I really find it a turn off.

 

Yah i find it a turnoff as well.. its just doesnt look good. Being strong is one thing, but looking strong is another.

 

I helped coach a 16 year old weighlifter a while back - she was in the development squad for the olympics. She was damn hot.
And she could outlift about 80% of the guys in our training group

 

Guys, you have to understand that the ladies in those pictures are VERY dedicated and it will be almost impossible for an "average" female to get even that big. So, in the end, every girl should lift weights IMO.

 

In response to those who seem to have problems with well-muscled women:

First off, when they are relaxed, they look much smaller. They'er in better health, capable of doing more stuff, etc. As for simply not finding them attractive? Well, I find the average annorexic-looking model type to be appalling. Being skiny does not = good shape. I prefer me a healthy woman that doesn't look like she's going to break if you pounce her.

 

Plus guys that like strong woman are super hot. :love:

 

I had originally created this thread to show the athletic, performance-related benefits of strength training for females. Probably the single most ridiculous, and offensive, myth in the fitness industry is that women who touch weights will get man-huge...the She-hulk.

I was hoping this discussion wouldn't degrade into "muscle chicks = hot or not", and I'm not saying it has, but I just want everyone to remember that when you train for better performance, a better looking body is always a side effect. The reverse is pretty much always false. Train for fitness...which will then improve your function...which will then improve your physique.

 

See, that is the issue at hand though. Women see even the smallest of those you used as somehow less attractive, and for some reason they see anything other than loose skin and bone on a woman as being unattractive. It doesn't make sense, but despite not making sense, that issue of attractiveness is what most women will use for avoiding any sort of weights.

There are always going to be insecure guys who seem to fear a woman with any muscle at all, but it should be understood that that muscle equals a certain increase in health and physical capability. Such things are not only greater than the simple skin and bone philosophy, but are much more attractive.

 

Exactly why I my first link was to Gea Johnson, a professional/Olympic Level Weightlifter. She's a fitness model, multi-sport athlete, and has Clean & Jerked 265 at a bodyweight of around 130.

It's comments like "...I'm not attracted to the people you just posted..." which contradict the intentions of this thread, and perpetuate the myth.

 

I think anyone who subscribes to the notion that the primary function of women in life is to be attractive to men should be made to eat faeces.

 

I mentioned in my class the other day some of the reasons why women should lift heavy... and this one reason seemed to nail it for most of the gals.

I mentioned that the more intensely ou lift--which equates to heavy weights--the higher your post workout metabolic rate. So they all stand there looking puzzled... and I say after lifting heavy and combining that along with our long cardio sessions, you can then sit back, relax and burn those nasty calories well after your workout has ended!

Now all the heavier weights are being taken and we need to get more!

Too bad the primary function of men wasn't to be attractive to women ... oh well! :Angel:

 

Hey now, some of us try.

That's a great analogy you used. It's like I tell all of my clients: cardio machines are fine for burning calories while you're on them, but the lean muscle you build through intelligent (read: heavy) strength training will help you burn calories on the drive home.

 

Uhhh.... no disrespect intended...but... are you guys blind!? All of the pictures you've linked to show men with boobs. These women are masculine. Men have large defined muscles - women don't. Women with large defined muscles look like men. Maybe it's different in the UK and the Netherlands....

 

How terribly open-minded of you, thanks for commenting.

As I said in a previous post, this thread won't degrade into "muscle chicks = hot or not" debate. It's intended to crumble some of the myths which, unfortunately, many women still find themselves listening to. All the links in this thread are intended to reinforce the fact that strength training is just as beneficial, I would say integral, to a female athlete as it is to a male athlete. In fact, athlete or not, all women could benefit from lifting heavier weights.

 

I didn't say they weren't hot. I didn't say anything about how attractive they are (or aren't). I said they have masculine bodies. And they do. I might be "open-minded" and say otherwise, but in Feynman's words: "Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brain falls out."

 

I think the female athlete's personal health, their upkeep of lean mass and keeping off the fat mass, the lowered risk of osteoperosis and other conditions they'll achieve from weight lifting is a bit more important then them being appealling to your narrow-minded role-playing male-dominating sexual characteristics. Thank you.

P.S. Like what's already been said, a woman won't look like the pics that have been posted just from touching a few weights, just like a man in his prime of testosterone levels won't look like the guys in muscle magazines from doing weights. Getting to that level of physique is no accident that'll just happen if you come in contact with a dumbbell.